Uploaded October 2023 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
How to prepare a canvas for oil portraits when you’re using acrylic as an underpainting.
Step 1: pick a canvas that is ‘universal’ primed. You can use acrylic and/or oil. NOTE: If you use ‘oil primed’ it will repel the water-based acrylic.
Step 2: Choose a neutral ground colour
Step 3: Cut the acrylic with water and/or medium. You don’t want to create an acrylic seal, you need a surface that the subsequent oil layers can grab onto.
Step 4: When blocking in the underpainting dilute the acrylic with water to keep that absorbent layer for when you paint oils ontop.
(Full oil portrait glazing course here: www.https://willkempartschool.com/product/oil-portrait-colour-glazing-course/)
#portaitpainting #acrylicportraitpainting #oilportraitpainting #grisailletechnique
How to prepare a canvas for oil portraits when you’re using acrylic as an underpainting.
Step 1: pick a canvas that is ‘universal’ primed. You can use acrylic and/or oil. NOTE: If you use ‘oil primed’ it will repel the water-based acrylic.
Step 2: Choose a neutral ground colour
Step 3: Cut the acrylic with water and/or medium. You don’t want to create an acrylic seal, you need a surface that the subsequent oil layers can grab onto.
Step 4: When blocking in the underpainting dilute the acrylic with water to keep that absorbent layer for when you paint oils ontop.
(Full oil portrait glazing course here: www.https://willkempartschool.com/product/oil-portrait-colour-glazing-course/)
#portaitpainting #acrylicportraitpainting #oilportraitpainting #grisailletechnique
